


Empire of the Mind

by SimplyCath



Category: Star Wars
Genre: Minor spoilers for Rise of Skywalker, head trip, mentions of past trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:02:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22043764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SimplyCath/pseuds/SimplyCath
Summary: Dark lashes fluttered against pale skin for a moment before slowly opening.Finn looked at Poe's face and felt his stomach drop as he stared into the eyes of someone he'd never seen before.
Kudos: 6





	Empire of the Mind

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Don't own any of the characters involved. I'm not profiting off this work. If you're interested in re-posting elsewhere, get my permission first.

Empire of the Mind 

By: SimplyCath 

"Who knew saving the galaxy would be so much work?" Finn looked towards Poe with a smile, only to find him sitting, rubbing his arm. Finn tilted his head, but Poe waved off the unspoken concern. Clearing his throat, Poe turned his attention back to the woman. 

The lieutenant standing across from them seemed unaware of the exchange. "We have two companies of First Order soldiers that have surrendered on Treaatus and are awaiting pickup; they do have a lot of injured. There's still scattered fighting on Crimohn; the locals have it handled, but they're going to need reinforcements. We have a squad in the area, but the next one is a few days out; where should we go first, Generals?" She looked between the two men. 

General. It was still a lot to wrap his head around. Finn scanned the holotable, trying to formulate his next move. He waited for Poe's answer, but was greeted with silence. Finn cleared his throat. "What do you think, General?" 

Poe looked startled by the question. "I ... what? I don't know." 

Frowning, Finn turned back to the lieutenant. "Right. First group heads to Crimohn. Get the second squad to pick up extra medical supplies and head straight to Treaatus." 

"Sir." The woman gave a brisk nod and turned on her heel, leaving as briskly as she'd come in. 

Finn watched her go till he lost sight of her in the crowd. He closed the door and shut off the holotable. Poe hadn't moved the entire time. 

"Poe?" Finn's boots made next to no sound as he approached. It looked like Dameron was asleep, but he was too tense, almost rigid. "Hey..." He reached out to jostle him, but Poe pulled back, drawing his arm against his chest protectively. 

"It's still bothering you?" Finn frowned. "It's been three days, let a medic take a look at-" 

"I'm fine!" Poe's head shot up and he bolted to his feet, backing up a step. 

Finn was appalled. Dark bags hung beneath Poe's eyes, making the pallor of his skin even more apparent. Tremors wracked his body every so often, subtle but painfully obvious now that he was looking. He hunched over slightly, like he was braced for an attack. Guilt crept up the back of Finn's neck, like a hand pressing against the base of his skull. How long had Poe been in this state and how hadn't he noticed it before? 

"You need a medic." Finn kept his voice quiet, like he was trying to soothe a wild animal. "I'll go get-" 

"No!" The word seemed to deflate him and Poe grabbed the top of the chair he'd taken refuge behind. He seemed to curl in on himself. He took a deep, shaky breath, then forced himself to meet Finn's gaze. "I'm okay. It's been a long few days. I need some sleep." He managed a weak smile. "I need a lot of sleep." 

"Yeah," Finn wondered if he sounded as unconvinced as he felt. "Yeah, you do. Go get some rest. We'll handle things from here." 

By the time Finn finished, Poe was closing the door at the back of the room, heading towards his private tent. 

Heaving a sigh, Finn left the room, blinking at the sudden shift from darkness into full sunlight. He wandered, taking in snippets of conversations. 

It wasn't until he caught sight of Lando that he realized he'd walked all the way over to the Falcon. 

The older General greeted him with a smile that quickly faded. "What's on your mind?" 

"It's Poe." Finn walked towards the ship, away from any prying ears. The last thing he wanted was for the others to get the wrong impression. Lando followed behind him. Once they were out of earshot, Finn continued. "He looks like hell. I think he's overdoing it. He's-" 

"You won." Lando nodded. "Whole lotta people think that winning the war means everything's fine. Truth of it is, this is when the real work starts." Lando's voice went softer. "All of you were in a war." 

"Yeah, I noticed." 

"You saw a lot of things. You've got to deal with it. People died, friends of yours, strangers. You made decisions that got people killed. Dealing with that is all part of the work. You can't let it eat at you." 

Finn sat down on a nearby crate. "So how did you deal with it?" 

Lando smiled. "Drinking, women, gambling. Worked out pretty well for me, but it's not for everyone." He patted Finn's shoulder. "Give him a little time; he'll be back to himself soon enough." 

"General!" A voice rang out. 

Both men turned their heads. 

Lando chuckled. "I'll let you handle this one." 

\-- 

Poe tucked himself between two buildings, pressing his back into the wall, making himself a smaller target. The two soldiers walked past and he counted to ten before stepping back out. He ducked his head, the point of his chin nearly touching his collarbone. There was a brief moment of satisfaction, being a General came with a few perks and a private room was one of them. He covered the distance in a few quick strides and locked the door firmly. Poe was struck by the sudden urge to jam a chair under the handle, but he dismissed it. 

He shut off all the lights and sat on the edge of the bed. He cradled his arm against his chest. It took a long time to get his boots off one handed, but he managed. The gloves came off next; that made it easier to pull off his bandaged. His shirt was last and he dropped it into a drawer. As much as he didn't want to see, Poe glanced at his arm. 

The wound hadn't changed; the skin around it was singed and blistered. The area itself was red, raw and throbbing with pain. It wasn't infection, if anything, it looked as if it had happened seconds ago. Dameron looked at the roll of gauze nestled on a small table near his bed. He reached for it with his good hand, then let it fall back to his side. Poe shuffled to his feet and drew the curtains closed, plunging his room into absolute darkness. 

Only then did he crawl into his bed, flop on to his back and let himself sink into oblivion. 

\-- 

Finn glanced at the crates and skimmed through the manifest, signing off on it before he left the freighter crew to finish packing up. He glanced towards the command center, but the lights remained off. "He's fine," Finn said under his breath, heading towards the next batch of officers, waiting to have their orders confirmed. "He needs sleep. He has a lot to deal with. He's fine." Without meaning to, Finn shifted course at the last second, directing a nearby commander to deal with issuing the last set of orders. "Of course he's fine. And I'll prove that he's fine." 

Beside him, BB-8 trilled his agreement. Finn moved with sure, measured strides as he went to Poe's door. He knocked firmly, but got no response. "He's sleeping. He needs the rest. There's no need-" Even as he spoke, Finn punched in the room code before trying the handle again. It didn't budge. "I'm not that worried, I'm not." 

BB-8 let out a few worried chirps. 

"But we should check on him. It's what friends do." Finn stepped aside and BB-8 rolled up to the door and spliced it. 

Finn opened the door and stepped inside, shivering. The room was quiet, without even the whir of cooling units to break up the silence. 

"Poe?" He approached the bed slowly, but the figure on it didn't move. 

He leaned over the edge of the bed, head angled. Poe was a light sleeper and didn't take well to being woken up. A well timed punch had taught Finn that lesson. "Poe?" He touched the other man's shoulder and the sleeping man rolled listlessly on to his back. 

Finn expected to feel heat from a fever coming off Poe, to see him shiver in the chill of the room, but he was perfectly still. His chest rose and fell with each steady intake of breath and that was the only thing that told him he wasn't looking at a corpse. It took all his willpower not to draw back. "Poe." Finn grabbed his friend's shoulder, shaking it firmly. "Poe, wake up." 

Dark lashes fluttered against pale skin for a moment before slowly opening. 

Finn looked at his friends face and felt his stomach drop as he stared into the eyes of someone he'd never seen before. 

Poe's eyes closed again. 

\-- 

BB-8 was already heading out the door and Finn followed close behind. 

"Something is wrong." 

Maz's voice shocked Finn out of his daze. He glanced down at the diminutive woman. Her glasses were off and concern was clear in her gaze. 

Finn let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. After the darkness of Poe's room, the sun felt blisteringly hot against his skin. He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Something is very wrong." He couldn't tell if admitting it made him feel better or worse. "We need-" 

"I've been in contact with her." Maz reached out and patted his hand. "She'll be here soon." 

\-- 

Rey stepped off the ship, tilting her face up into the sun. People were moving around her. There was weariness, of course, but everyone was moving with renewed purpose. It was as if they'd shed a great burden. There was a great deal to do, but everyone was working together, lifting each other up where they needed it. She closed her eyes, letting the sense of cohesion wash over her. 

She caught sight of Finn standing outside the command center. He kept glancing around and when their eyes locked, he walked towards her briskly. He took her arm gently and leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Something's wrong." 

"Show me." She moved in step with him as they headed towards the crew quarters. 

As they moved deeper, past the crew barracks and towards the private rooms, she began to feel a strange chill in her fingertips. Rey paused and concentrated, reaching out with the Force. She felt anew the resolve of those around her, their unity of purpose; but there was something else, something cold. Her gaze was drawn towards Poe's cabin. A pair of young soldiers were walking past. Moving as one, they side stepped, giving the General's room a wide berth. She wondered if it was conscious on their part. It happened again and again, people moving away from Poe's cabin as if they were being repelled. 

"It's been like this for days." Maz said. "We have not informed the others. General Calrissian has taken command until this matter is resolved." 

Rey nodded. She stepped towards Poe's cabin and shuddered. She felt the urge to leave, but dismissed it. Steeling her resolve, she gestured for BB-8 to unlock the door. 

Rey gasped. It was like she'd been transported to another planet. Rationally, she knew the dimensions of Poe's room; hers was identical in shape and size, but the pervasive chill and the utter darkness left her momentarily disoriented. She took a breath, steadying herself before walking towards Poe's bed. The mattress dipped under her weight as she sat on the edge of it. 

Poe was still, one arm at his side, the other resting across his stomach. Rey touched his shoulder, shivering at the coldness of her friend's skin. Her fingertips drifted down his bare arm and her brows furrowed as she saw his wound. Rey closed her eyes, tapping into her connection with the Force. She let it flow through her and into her friend, only to be drawn up short. Rey tilted her head to the side, then took a deep, bracing breath and tried again, only to find the energy blocked once more. "Stubborn as always." The tension in Rey's voice belied the levity in her words. "Poe, please. Let me help." She reached out again, with more power. 

The force of his resistance hit her like a blow to the chest. She stumbled back and Finn was there to steady her. 

"Are you okay?" 

"That," Rey took a moment to gather her thoughts. "That wasn't Poe. There's something-" 

"I know." Finn guided her out of the room. By the time they stepped back into the sulight, Rey had recovered her poise. 

"What do we do?" Finn asked, glancing back towards the room. 

"I don't know." Rey admitted. "But I'm going to find out." 

\-- 

Rey poured over Luke's journals, fueled only by the tea and fruit that Maz had put beside her an hour ago. 

"Any luck?" 

Rey shut her eyes, giving herself a moment to rest them as Finn took a seat nearby. "There are some notes, creatures of the Force that can latch on to people, but not anything like this. These notes describe Force parasites of a sort. They feed on the life energy, but this is different." 

"Force parasites? Great. As if we didn't have enough to worry about." 

"But that's not what we're dealing with here. Those are smaller, more subtle. They'll feed on someone for years. It's only been a few days. There's something-" 

"Think of where you were." Maz's voice preceded her return as poured more tea into Rey's half empty cup. 

"Exegol." Rey murmured. "That place was teeming with power from the Dark Side." 

"And something got to Poe." 

Rey nodded. "Something was preventing me from healing him." 

"How do we help him?" 

"We have to get to the source." Rey stood up sharply. "And stop it." 

"We're not going back there, are we?" 

"No." Rey turned towards the direction of Poe's room. Now that she was aware of it, she could feel the tendrils of dark side energy from halfway across the base. "Something came back with Poe. That is what we have to stop." 

"And how are we supposed to do that?" Finn stood as well. He was concerned, but it came out as waspishness. "Travel to the Outer Rim, find a junk dealer that happens to have a map that leads to a Force parasite destroying crystal?" 

"For once, I think we have everything we need in this room." 

Maz closed her fingers around Rey's wrist. "You will need an anchor for what you are planning. You can lose yourself more easily than you'd imagine." 

"Let me guess. The anchor is in three pieces so we have to go halfway around the galaxy to-" 

Maz cut him off with a smile. "Rey was right. You have everything you need in this room." 

"Great." Finn nodded. "From General to anchor in one day." 

\-- 

Rey sat on the edge of Poe's bed. He hadn't moved. 

"I don't want to be here." Finn admitted, even as he dragged a chair close to her. He sat down. 

"Me neither." Rey murmured. "That's by design. It wants us to leave." 

"So how do we do this?" 

"Give me your hand." Rey closed her fingers around Finn's and concentrated on the sensation. "Don't let go." 

"Never." 

Rey smiled at her friend before she closed her eyes. She placed her free hand on Poe's chest, and felt the beat of his heart under her palm. Rey conjured an image of Poe in her mind, his confident smile, the sound of his voice. She focused on it, on his character, on the very things that made him Poe. She felt her consciousness being drawn and she went with it, clutching Finn's hand tightly. 

\-- 

When Rey opened her eyes, she was standing outside. The sky was black, absent of stars. Before her stood a nondescript building. Its featureless grey walls stretched up into the sky, past her field of view. Sand crunched beneath her feet as she approached. A handle broke up the uneven surface of the building. She turned the latch... 

Noise overwhelmed her. It wasn't music, but pure chaotic sound. Rey covered her ears and looked up. She was in a catina of sorts. The noise seemed to be coming from everywhere at once, as if each person, each object was adding to the din. Rey called for Poe, felt the air leave her lungs, but couldn't hear her own voice. Her whole world had turned to noise. 

Rey's eyes skimmed the room. Aliens of every shape and size were around her. They seemed unaware of the sound. A brief animal panic seized her and she reached for the latch, only to find the door that she'd come through had vanished. 

The noise felt thick as a fog. She pushed forward, through the crowd. She kept calling for him, but each yell was lost to the din. The crowd was getting thicker now, stepping into her path, dancing in front of her, forcing her to weave and inch through. 

As Rey flattened herself against a table top to let someone through, she caught sight of a familiar head of hair. She didn't waste her breath calling for him. The crowd was getting thicker now, all of the bodies seeming to move with singular intent. Rey planted her hands on a droid's chest and shoved it back, trying to clear herself a path. It worked for a moment and got a few steps closer to her. He was talking to someone. Each time she caught sight of him, someone got in her way. 

Hands seized her shoulders, her elbows. Rey didn't have the space to turn her head, to see who held her. The sheer mass of beings was holding her, pushing her back. She allowed herself to be brought down to one knee and she stopped. Drawing upon the Force, Rey surged back to her feet and the crowd flew off her, flattening into the walls, colliding with tables, disappearing up into the black ceiling and never returning. She crawled over the crowd. The noise weighed down on her, but she kept sight of her target. He was talking as if nothing had happened. 

Finally, she was able to put her hands on his table. 

Poe looked shocked to see her. He reached for something and, quicker than she could react, plunged a dagger deep into the chest of the man he'd been talking to. Rey was too shocked to move as the man collapsed back into his seat, then started to crumple to the floor. 

She looked up, only to find that he was retreating. Rey followed close by, disappearing through a back door she never would have found on her own. 

The silence was a shock. It took a moment to realize she could hear her heartbeat again. She put a hand against the wall to steady herself. "Poe. I'm here to help you." 

"You shouldn't be here." 

The landscape around them was shifting every moment. Sometimes they were standing in empty space, surrounded by stars. Other times they were in a desert with vibrant sand, or in a city, or inside a Star Destroyer. 

"Why?" She approached him, tilting her head. 

"Because you shouldn't see this." 

"See what? What don't you want me to see?" 

Poe took a step away, staring out into the shifting landscape. "Me." 

"You're my friend." Rey stepped forward, till she was by his side. "And you need my help." She gestured outward. "Whatever secrets you may have, I will keep them. But I will not leave you alone." 

"He's not alone." 

The scenery stopped shifting and they found themselves standing in a desert unlike any Rey had ever seen before. It stretched out into infinity, broken up by hundreds of cave entrances. Each cave went off into its own branch, creating snarls like the roots of an overgrown tree. 

Rey turned towards the figure who was emerging from the desert. He was tall, clad in black with a dark hood obscuring his face. "Who are you?" 

The figure paused mid step. "Who am I? What an interesting question." He had the voice of a young man. "It has been a very long time since I've had use for a name. I suppose I've forgotten it." 

"What do you want?" 

"I'm adapting to my new situation. This one," he gestured toward Poe. "Had a moment of such exquisite despair on Exegol, I couldn't help but be drawn to it. At present, I am learning about the galaxy around me. A great deal has changed, as you can probably imagine." 

"You will leave Poe's mind now." Rey said firmly. 

"I don't believe I will." The figure didn't have a face she could see, but somehow, she knew it was smiling. 

"I will make you leave." Rey stepped forward, calling upon the Force and raised her hand towards the figure. 

"You certainly have the power to do so, Jedi. But what price are you willing to pay?" 

"What are you talking about?" Rey kept herself poised, ready for any sudden movements. 

"Quite simple, my dear." The landscape shifted again. The floor was slick and glossy and thin mirrors emanated from the ground. "I am in an admittedly weakened condition, but think of where you are." 

Rey glanced back towards Poe, who was staring at the shaded figure with an expression she'd never seen on his face before. A man who had plunged head long into battles of all shapes and sizes, who had fought and fled with her and always had a joke was silent. He was afraid. 

"That's right, Rey." The figure nodded. "You could cast me out." He didn't walk so much as glide over towards one of the mirrors. As he approached, an image appeared on the surface. It was dull and difficult to make out any details. 

The figure raised his hand. 

"No!" Rey cried. 

The man struck the screen and it shattered. 

\-- 

Finn jumped when Poe thrashed. It was over so fast he thought he imagined it. He squeezed his friend's wrist. "Come on, Rey." 

\-- 

Poe fell to his knees, clutching at his temples. His pain clawed at Rey through the Force, sudden and brutal. Rey was by his side in a moment, rubbing slow circles across his back. She glared at the figure, who seemed entranced by the shattered fragments that littered the ground. 

"I ask you again, Jedi. What price are you willing to pay to cast me out?" It chuckled. "All that power, all that strength. To what end?" 

"I will stop you." 

"Do it." The shade's voice was frustratingly casual. "Unleash the Force upon me. Destroy me and your friend." It spread out its arms, making itself a bigger target. 

Silence reigned. There wasn't so much as a gust of wind to break up the stillness. 

The shade lowered his arms and started backing away, retreating into the distance. "I suspect, Jedi, that you will learn a great deal more about your friend than you ever imagined. I hope you are prepared to face the truth about him." 

He was gone before Rey could respond. 

Rey clasped Poe's arm and helped him to his feet. "Are you all right?" 

"Feels like my head got trampled by a herd of banthas." Poe ran a hand through his hair. 

The scene shifted again, leaving them in open space. Rey felt a moment of panic at the endless drop beneath her feet, but concentrated on her friend. 

Poe finally straightened to his full height. 

Rey chose her words carefully. "This is your mind. He doesn't belong. I can't risk hurting you." 

"I don't know if I can." 

"You can. I believe in you." 

"That makes one of us." Dameron muttered. 

Rey's brows furrowed. "What do you mean?" 

"I mean..." he gestured out at the expanse of stars. "Where do we even find him for one thing?" 

"We'll find him." Rey started to walk forward, only to be drawn short by his hand on her arm. 

"Rey," Poe said softly. "There's a lot of things I'm not proud of." 

"Poe Dameron, you are my friend." Rey smiled. "And there is nothing in your mind or in this galaxy that will change that. Now let's get going." 

Poe gave her a weak smile, but said nothing. 

\-- 

With no landmarks and constantly shifting terrain, Rey soon lost track of how far they'd gone, how much time they'd spent in this place. Rey pinched the bridge of her nose. "Poe." 

"Yeah?" He was staring fixedly ahead, focused on some unseen point. 

"I want you to concentrate. Focus on one image. Keep it there. We might be going in circles." 

"Right." 

Poe paused and lowered his head. The landscape around them shifted a few times, sliding in and out of focus before they found themselves on the deck of a Star Destroyer. 

"Not my first choice, but this is progress." Rey nodded. "Keep this image clear in your mind." Rey took in her surroundings. The floors were the same sterile grey she was used to, but the alcoves along the wall had been replaced with smooth whtie panels, obscuring the mechanical equipment that was normally there. 

She continued to walk a straight path. Rey looked over her shoulder and found Poe paused in front of one of the screens. "Poe, we have to keep moving." 

"We've been walking for hours, or what feels like hours." Poe shrugged. 

Rey moved to stand beside him. She stared at the image for only a moment, then cleared her throat and looked away. "I... you're certainly more... flexible... than you appear." 

"Needs must." 

"Well, we need to keep moving." 

They moved along the endless corridor. Poe glanced at one screen and quickened his pace, moving past without a second glance. As she got closer the screen came to life, vivid and sharp. The longer she stared the sharper the image became until she found herself standing in the scene. 

\-- 

It wasn't hard to recognize Poe, even as a younger man. His hair was longer and matted from the storm raging through the sky. He was pressed up against a building, blaster drawn. 

Rey could spot two more people on the opposite side of the street, concealed by the rain. 

A young man on the cusp of adulthood was walking through the middle of the street in shackles. His blond hair was streaked with dirt and blood. One eye was swollen shut and he moved at an awkward pace, barely able to put weight on his right foot. 

"Bariss." Poe murmured. 

Behind Bariss was a platoon of guards. Not First Order, local authorities, Rey supposed. Two of them had blasters aimed directly at the boy's back. Two more took position in front of him. Another four took up the rear guard, blasters sweeping the area. There was no small talk among them, they moved with military precision. They passed through Rey and Poe without a trace of resistance. 

The city was quiet save for the chatter of their radios. Windows and doors closed as they approached. Anyone caught gawking was summarily warned off. 

One of the guards kicked the prisoner's injured leg and he fell to his knees. 

From that angle, Bariss caught sight of Poe. The young man's eyes lit up. 

Bariss had a perfect view of Poe Dameron mutely shaking his head, holstering his blaster and disappearing into the storm. 

\-- 

Poe stepped back from the screen, his jaw clenched. He shook his head. "I told you." He ran a shaky hand through his hair. "I told you." 

Rey looked at the screen. The image played out again and again. "You were outnumbered." The words sounded hollow to her own ears. "There was no opportunity. You did your best." 

A bitter smile twisted Poe's lips as he shook his head. "Clearly my best isn't all that great. Oh, and trust me, there's plenty more where that came from." 

"We all have failures in our past." She reached out and touched his arm. "I'm sorry." 

"Yeah," Poe said tightly, looking anywhere but at her. "I am too." 

They resumed walking. Rey tried to ignore the screens. "When the time comes, you will have to be the one to expel him." Rey chose her words carefully. "I do it, it could change you irrevocably." 

The last thing she expected was laughter. It sounded like he was choking. 

"What's the matter?" Rey moved to stand in front of him, her eyes narrowing. "Why do you think you can't do this?" 

"Couldn't do it the first time, what makes this any different?" 

"First-?" Understanding dawned on Rey's face and her expression softened. "I'm sorry." 

"This might seem like nothing to you. Of course it would. You can fight back. Come on, there's something I want to show you." Poe reached out, fingers clasping around her wrist. "I want you to see what happened the last time a Sith Lord got into my head." 

The scene shifted before they'd taken so much as a step. They were still on a Star Destroyer, but the section they faced was charred. She could hear the low hum of a shield generator, saw the static dance across the barrier as Poe brushed his fingers across it. Beyond the shield, the walls were tinged with black as if a fire had been raging through. At the end of the hall was a screen, larger than the rest, as cracked and damaged as the rest of this section. 

Poe walked through the shield as though it wasn't there. Rey followed closely. "I-" 

"Don't tell me you understand." Poe closed his eyes. "You don't understand a damned thing, Rey." 

The screen crackled to life. 

\-- 

The glove came into focus first, then the mask. 

Their words came through clear and strong. Poe, shaken but defiant. Kylo Ren, as cold as it was mechanical. 

Suddenly the screen cracked. Black tendrils of something dark and awful broke through, stretching across the walls, along the floor and ceiling. It was much worse than fire. This was pain, and fear, distilled. The very essence of the Dark Side. 

Repulsed, she backed up through the safety of the shield. 

Poe watching the blackness, head tilted as though he were watching an interesting display on a holotable. The tendrils slashed and thudded against the shield until they dissipated. "When it happened, I couldn't stop it. It was everywhere. He was everywhere." He turned and started walking again, briskly moving away from the scene. "If you ever ask me about it, I'll lie. I'll say I don't remember." He shuddered. "I remember every second." 

"I'm sorry you had to go through that." 

"So am I. My track record against Sith Lords getting into my head is pretty bad. I don't want to do it again." 

"This is different! He is already here. But he's weak. You have the power to foce him out." 

"What if you're wrong?" 

"I'm not wrong." Rey moved to stand in front of him, putting a hand on his chest to stop him. "I'll help you. I'll do what I can, but the longer he stays within your mind, the stronger he'll get, so go to him and be done with this!" 

"What makes you think I can do that?" Poe snapped. 

"You brought us here. You showed me that. So find him." 

Poe looked away. "I can't just- I don't know where he is." 

Rey closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Part of her wanted to shake him, to force him to see the urgency of the matter, but she also knew Poe. The harder she pushed, the more he'd dig in his heels. "All right, we'll start small." Rey smiled. "Let's try a specific memory. Take me flying." 

"Flying." Poe savored the word. "I can do that." 

\-- 

The small freighter ducked and weaved, rolling up between the clouds and the upper atmosphere. Out of instinct, Rey gripped an exposed strut on the vessel. 

Poe was standing behind the pilot's chair, leaning over like an instructor. "Good, nice, hit the thr- I really am good." 

The ship spun out into a tight turn, then shot upward, riding the line between the troposphere and the stratosphere. Alarms and klaxons were wailing all through the ship. 

A communications unit flickered to life. "Fighters are breaking off pursuit." The voice on the other end sounded unsteady and Rey couldn't blame them. 

"They didn't stand a chance." Younger Poe grinned. "We'll land in ten minutes, make sure they've lost us." 

Poe stepped back, grinning. 

Night had fallen by the time they landed. Younger Poe sat back in his chair, kicking his feet up on the console and opening the hangar with the toe of his boot. 

The people waiting at the other end wore dark clothes, clearly intended to blend in with crowds. Hushed words were exchanged. 

To a casual observer, the younger Poe looked oblivious to the situation, but Rey could see his hand near his blaster. Realization boiled like acid in her stomach. 

Poe's crew and the people on the ground exchanged a few terse words before credits were exchanged and crates started to be offloaded from the freighter. 

Poe turned to look at Rey. "What? You wanted to go flying and that was a damned good bit of flying. You have to admit. Even I'm a little impressed." 

"How many times have you gone against the First Order, or-?" 

"Come on, you were there for most of those." Poe shrugged. Seconds later, they were back wandering the halls of the Star Destroyer. "I thought I'd show you something more important." 

"What was so important about that?" 

"That maybe I'm not worth saving. Kylo Ren broke me. I cracked when I was a kid because I couldn't handle the pressure, so I took off and ran Spice. What do you think is going to happen when I'm in charge of anything long term? I can show you again." 

"You recovered from what happened. You changed." 

"You sure about that? Because I'm not. What's so different this time?" 

"You have friends now. All of us, Finn, me, the Republic, we're at our strongest when we work together." Her voice rose sharply. "But if you want me out so badly, then kick me out." 

"What?" Poe blinked. 

"You heard me. All you've done since I arrived is try to discourage me." Rey stepped up to him, jabbing a finger into his chest. "If you truly believe that you're beyond redemption, then make me leave. The Sith said it himself, you have the ability to kick him out; you could do the same to me. So do it." 

The seconds trickled by. Neither of them moved. 

Rey's eyes narrowed and she backed up a step. "You can't, can you?" Her eyes narrowed and she reached instinctively for a lightsaber that wasn't there. "Because you're not Poe." 

Poe grinned at her. 

In the blink of an eye, her friend's face had melted away and she stood before the Sith Lord. 

"Very clever, Jedi. It seems you're not all brute strength." 

Rey's eyes narrowed. She wanted nothing more than to blast this interloper through the nearest wall, but she held back. "What was the point of that?" Rey demanded. "Where is Poe?" 

"He's somewhere around here. It's not my mind, you can't expect me to keep track of every little thing." 

"Why the deception?" 

"I've always considered myself to be something of a gifted instructor." The Sith lord said. The scene shifted to the bridge of the Star Destroyer. He paced along the narrow bridge. "When you think of the Dark Side, how do you perceive it?" 

Images flared up on the main screen, passing by in rapid fire bursts. Lightning destroying a troop transport, lightsabers being used to maim, blaster bolts being redirected, Kylo's hand... 

"You see it as a blunt weapon." The Sith lord shook his head. "Pure power with no finesse. You know for yourself that the Force can be used with artistry, with nuance. You've used it to heal, to sway weaker minds. What makes you think that the Dark Side is any different?" 

"Is this a lesson?" Sarcasm dripped from Rey's tone. 

"We could have a fight, but I doubt you're inclined to face the consequences." He turned to face her again. "Pain, anger, passion, those are pillars of the Dark Side, but they are not the only tools at our disposal." 

Rey stayed silent. As he spoke, she weighed her options. He was giving her valuable information and she knew that she'd soon be able to break away and find Poe. The longer she could keep him talking, the more time she was buying for her friend. 

"Anger is a powerful weapon, but it is blunt, without elegance. In the end, there will always be someone more powerful than you. The most powerful use of the Dark Side is slow, and subtle." 

"This really is a lesson." Rey shook her head in disbelief. 

"I have had a long time to perfect my thoughts, Jedi. My voice has been lost in a chorus for millenia. Can you really blame me for imparting my wisdom when I get the opportunity?" 

"To what end?" 

"To learn, Jedi. You can glean wisdom from the most unexpected sources, if you simply listen." 

"Listen to a Sith Lord?" 

"Who better to offer insight into the Dark Side?" 

"Palpatine has been defeated. There is nothing to gain from this." 

The hooded figure had no face, but he managed to laugh. Rey resisted every impulse to shudder, not wanting to show any form of weakness. 

"Foolish child. Palpatine was a Sith Lord. A powerful one to be sure, but are you really so arrogant as to believe that you destroyed the entire Dark Side? It is merely our turn to lay dormant, but we will return. There will always be anger in the universe. There will always be hate and rage. More importantly, there will be despair. Wanton destruction will foster that rage, but that the work for a brute. If you take away hope, people will destroy themselves. That is the more subtle use of the Dark Side. That is where the art lies, not in mindless power, but judicious applications of pain. I always found it to be much more effective." 

The massive window that dominated the end of the bridge came alive. She saw the ships exploding around Poe's, heard the anguished cries over the comm, watched his friend die. She saw his face as he looked up into the empty sky. 

"That was the moment where he called to me." The shade seemed to grow more solid in that moment. 

"We won." Rey gritted out. "Help came." 

"It is of no consequence. That moment of agony will never leave him. It will gnaw at the back of his mind. He will never be the same." 

"Tell me where he is." 

"Are we to part ways after all we've shared? So be it. Find him for yourself, Jedi. I'll find my own entertainment." 

With that, the shade was gone and Rey found herself alone. 

She moved with urgency. There had to be more to the Sith than giving a lecture. He'd been stalling her. Maybe he'd hoped that she would leave. She could picture it with sickening clarity. The shade taunting Poe, proclaiming that his friends had abandoned him. 

Despair. 

It wasn't about making her give up. It was about Poe. If he succumbed, the Sith lord would have a foothold in Poe's mind. 

Rey stopped. Walking was pointless. The shade had lead her around for what felt like hours. She stopped and closed her eyes and thought of all she'd seen. The Star Destroyer, the cantina, space itself and in all that time she may not have taken a single step. The location was trappings, mere scenery, something she could more easily understand. She opened herself up to the Force. The energy around her flowed: passion, determination, joy, pain ... all of it Poe's. It was difficult not to be overwhelmed. She breathed in, acknowledging it, but she pushed deeper, guiding herself towards the source. 

When she opened her eyes, she was still on the Star Destroyer. The hallway was bathed in pallid blue light. The interrogation bay. 

Rey brushed aside the obstruction blocking the door. 

"Again?" Poe sounded bored. 

"Poe, I'm-" 

"Here to help," he finished in a high-pitched tone, mimicking her voice. "Why don't you see yourself out? I've made myself at home." He rattled the restraints that bound him to the chair. "I'm good, I'm fine. It's like these were made for me. Very cozy. So you can go." 

"Poe." 

"Save it." Poe stared up at the ceiling. "This has to be the hundredth time you've walked in here. Get a new trick, will you? This one's getting old." 

Rey found herself grinning. 

"What is so funny?" 

"Just marveling that I could ever mistake someone else for you." 

"What are you talking about? Actually, I don't care." 

"We don't have time for this." Rey stepped up to him and started to undo the restraints. 

Poe rolled his eyes. "'He'll be back any second.' Yeah, I've heard this all before." He rested back on the chair as if he was lounging in a cantina. "Not buying it. Not this time. Just go!" 

Rey stumbled back. Her vision swam. She could hear Finn calling to her, but she ignored him. 

Poe was staring at her, his brows furrowed. "Okay, so that was new, but I'm still not buying it." 

"Move." The restraints finally came loose and Rey grabbed her friend's wrist. He followed behind her, but there was no urgency to his step. "We need to hurry." 

"Yeah and this is the part where we rush out the door and I'm back in the chair again and it starts all over." 

Rey rolled her eyes. "Shut up." She gave him a gentle shove, pushing him out of the room. 

"I-" Poe looked around the hallway, frowning. "Okay, so you weren't lying this time." Poe looked around uncertainly, but he fell into step beside her. "What now?" 

"Now we find him." Rey gritted out through clenched teeth. A sense of urgency was rising up within her. By now he had to know she'd found Poe. He would be getting desperate. "I know where he's going." 

\-- 

She had no idea if it was Poe's doing or the Sith lord's twisted idea of a joke, but the emergency klaxons were wailing, making it hard for her to think. She dashed down the hall, Poe close on her heels. 

The shade was there, steps ahead. 

"Poe, stop him!" 

A screen came to life. 

Kijimi. 

"Taking one last look, sir, at my fr-" 

The screen shattered under a single quick blow from the Sith lord. Poe let out a sudden cry, clutching at his temples, and doubled over. She had been around pain before, but never so close to the source of it. Fury built up in Rey at how casually this entity had wounded her friend. She pushed it aside and helped Poe stand back up to his full height. "You need to push him out, before he can do any more damage." 

Poe nodded. "I know where he is." 

In a flash, they were in the damaged section of the Star Destroyer. 

The Sith lord was already there. It passed through the shield, and its robes began to twist and merge with the tendrils. 

"The work of an amateur," the shade's voice echoed through the halls. "Still, there are some glimpses of potential." 

"Push him out." 

Poe hesitated for a moment. 

That was all it took for the shield to drop. 

\-- 

A spasm rocked Poe's body, every muscle seizing at once. 

"No, no," Finn clutched Rey's hand tighter. 

\-- 

The tendrils thrashed and crept along the walls, inching forward. Everywhere they touched was coated and stained with black bile. 

Rey thrust her hands out, drawing upon the Force, focusing it through her mind, then outward, creating a shield of her own. She backed up half a step before stopping. "No." She gritted out. She focused her will and the shade and its tendrils began to be pushed back. 

Poe walked up to Rey, then stepped in front of her. The energies of the Force swirled around him, but he was unaffected. "Get the hell out of my head!" 

The shade thrashed as if the words had been a physical blow. "I do hope, Jedi, that you remember our lessons fondly." 

Poe's voice rang out, carrying through the corridors. "Out!" 

A blinding flash forced Rey to cover her eyes. Slowly, she dropped her arm, blinking a few times to adjust. The shield was up again. The cracked screen was there and there was a second beneath it. 

Fresh damage marred a section of the unshielded wall. Rey placed her hand on it and concentrated, but the stain remained. 

Poe's hand rested on her shoulder. "It's okay. I- thank you." 

"Of course." Rey took a few deep breaths, trying to steady herself. 

Poe started to walk and she followed. 

"I'll leave soon, I just need a few minutes." 

"Make yourself at home. Seems like everyone does." Poe took a deep breath. "I'm really sick of this place." 

Rey grinned as they found themselves on the Falcon. "Much better. Poe, he showed me something." 

"Something you want to call the authorities over? Because I have to let you know I'm friends with a General in the Resistance and he'll vouch for me-" 

Rey pushed the words out, before she lost the nerve. "Would you show me Bariss?" 

He flinched as if she'd slapped him. 

"You don't have to." 

"If you know enough to ask, then you've seen the worst." Poe turned on the holotable. 

\-- 

The scene began as before, with the squadron of guards walking with the injured young man. 

Poe was there as before, blaster drawn. 

A man was standing behind him. He hadn't been there the first time. Their lips were moving. Rey moved closer so she could hear what they were saying. 

"I can make the shot." Poe insisted. 

"There are too many of them. He doesn't know anything. I'm not risking the whole crew for the new kid." 

"I don't give a damn-" Poe started forward as the boy was kicked to the ground. 

Bariss saw the glint of the knife that the man plunged into Poe's back. Watched Poe fall to his hands and knees before the guards hauled him up. 

\- 

They were in an apartment. Someone pushed Poe into a chair and went to a chest, jabbing him in the throat with a stim. It wasn't a high quality one, with the way he thrashed and swore. 

The man paced the room. "Listen," he addressed the rest of the group, none of whom seemed happy. "The kid knew the score. I wasn't about to risk all our heads. You all know the rules-" 

His words ended on a shriek as he collapsed to the ground, clutching at his wounded arm. 

Poe was on his feet, shaky and pale, blaster in hand. "New rule." Poe met the eyes of every person in the room. "Starting tonight, nobody gets left behind. Any questions?" 

\-- 

Poe turned away from the table, shaking his head. 

"Do you know what I saw there?" Rey continued before Poe could interrupt her. "I saw a man willing to face any odds to save a friend. I saw a leader who cares about those under his command. I saw you." Rey took a deep breath. "It's time for me to go." 

"Thanks for not making too much of a mess in here." Poe went to the controls and the hangar door lowered. It was a formality and they both knew it. 

Rey nodded. "Get some rest." 

\-- 

She stepped back out into the darkness. There were no landmarks to guide her. For all she knew, she was walking straight down, or up. Rey closed her eyes, she held out her hand, and clasped tightly. 

Fingers closed around hers. She followed it. 

Rey's eyes opened slowly and she gasped, taking in a deep lungful of air. 

"Is he okay? You did it?" Finn's voice was hoarse from disuse. 

Rey pressed her hand to Poe's blaster wound. She allowed the Force to work through her, watched the muscle and skin knead and repair itself till the area was whole again. Smiling, she turned to face Finn. "We did it. How long-?" 

"Two days." Finn looked down, realized he was still holding on to her and let his hand drop, shaking it out to regain circulation. "Two very long days." 

"Let's get some rest." 

\-- 

Three days later found Poe officially cleared to go back to duty. He stepped out of his quarters, surprised to see Rey and Finn waiting for him. 

"We've been through a lot lately." Finn began. "Not just, you know-" he gestured towards Poe's temple. "But with everything." 

"What's your point?" 

"We work better as a team." Finn nodded, "look at what we accomplished when we worked together. If one of us is struggling, we need to let the others know. We can help each other out." 

"That was a good speech." Poe smiled. "How long have you been working on that one?" 

"I've had a lot of time over the past few days." 

"He's right." Rey said. "It's worth keeping in mind." 

"Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to get back to work." Finn started out the door, then poked his head back in. "And you had better be following shortly, General." 

Poe gave a jaunty salute in response. 

When he was gone, Poe spoke up. "When you were in my head, you didn't see anything else, did you?" 

"I had more pressing matters to attend to than sightseeing." Rey said. 

"Okay, good." 

They started to walk towards headquarters together. 

"How did you get that scar on your hip?" 

"I knew it-!" 

The End

**Author's Note:**

> Well this is my first time writing Star Wars since I was a youngling. Hope you all enjoyed.


End file.
